Ariz. teens rescued from tree after lake ice crack

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SHOW LOW, Ariz. (AP) — Two teenagers were rescued after spending two frigid hours hanging onto a dead tree after ice on an Arizona state park lake began to crack, authorities said Thursday.

Each of the teenagers lost a shoe that got stuck to the ice, and both were taken to a hospital for treatment of mild hypothermia after being rescued Wednesday, said Show Low Fire District Capt. Brent Mix.

A third teen stayed on the snow-covered bank of Fool Hollow Lake and called for help when the other two got stuck.

"Their hands and feet got pretty cold," Mix said. "It was dark by the time we got them to shore."

A firefighter in a protective suit crawled across the lake with a rope to reach the tree where other two teens were perched, and he then used the rope to pull over a boat carrying two other firefighters, Mix said.

The teens then got in the boat and it was pulled back to shore, Mix said.

"Every once in a while we have kids trying to see how far out they can go," Mix said. "That was pretty foolish. There was probably an inch of ice in the middle of the lake."

A total of 25 fire and other emergency personnel from several agencies responded.